Palin, 44, was the surprise choice by Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, who passed over potential running mates with far more experience and more name recognition to choose a politician who two years ago was a small-town mayor in Wasilla, Ala. In her two years as Alaska's governor, Palin has developed a reputation as a reform governor in a state renown for entrenched oil and political interests. In pushing legislation to raise taxes on oil revenues, she bucked her own party.

She has also been hailed by Chrisitian conservatives for her staunch anti-abortion, anti-gay marriage and pro-gun stances — and supports increased oil production in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

"Governor Palin has the record of reform and bipartisanship that others can only speak of. Her experience in shaking up the status quo is exactly what is needed in Washington today," said McCain when he announced his pick in Dayton, Ohio Friday.

In a lengthy presidential campaign of many firsts, Palin is the first female running mate on a Republican presidential ticket and the first since Democratic nominee Geraldine Ferraro of New York in 1984. Palin is three years younger than Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama — and more than a generation younger than the 72-year-old McCain.

Depending on your perspective, Palin is either a very risky or equally inspired pick — she's the least known choice on the national stage since Maryland Gov. Spiro Agnew in 1968 by Richard Nixon.

McCain has criticized Obama for lacking the experience necessary to be president and, despite McCain's assurances to the contrary, Palin's resume is thin for someone who could be one heartbeat away from the presidency. As far as anyone knows she has little to none foreign policy experience. And she may have an ethics problem, as Palin's abrupt firing of the state's public safety commissioner is being investigated by a special counsel hired by the Alaska Legislature as to whether there was any official misconduct. Palin has said she welcomes the scrutiny.

But McCain should be congratulated for not picking a traditional choice, something that both Obama and Biden applauded when they issued a statement saying Pailn's pick was "yet another encouraging sign that old barriers are falling in our politics." The campaign was later not so kind in criticizing McCain for choosing one so inexperienced.

The timing and method of telling Obama's pick turned out be more nontraditional than his choice of the 65-year-old Biden, who has served in the U.S. Senate since 1973.

Biden, the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, has a reputation for sometimes talking too much and being unafraid to share the depth of his own high self-regard.

But in his career, Biden has done more than talk and he has become a expert on foreign affairs and public safety. While many called for safer choices such as Sen. Hillary Clinton, Obama obviously made the important choice for him — someone with whom he could work.

Both Palin and Biden will liven up an already intriguing and pivotal election season. We look forward to their one and only debate on Oct. 2 in St. Louis. It could be one for the ages.

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.

Newsletters

Advertise

Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted.
seacoastonline.com ~ 111 New Hampshire Ave., Portsmouth, NH 03801 ~ Privacy Policy ~ Terms Of Service